Yard Art Projects: Composite Decking?

Even though our winter wasn’t too rough, spring still brings with it that feeling of being able to breathe again. As I stood in the sun today and watched my son fill his little wheelbarrow for the first time, I could barely contain myself. All kinds of gardening projects and outdoor art ideas ran through my mind. I mean, we have 6 acres now, and it’s mostly flat land that hasn’t been planted at all. There is much work to be done on this blank canvas! (Finding the time to do it is an entirely different story, however…)

The view of our house from the back of our property.

But a girl can dream, and dream I will! Of pergolas and gazebos, succulent frames and cute garden fences, and raised beds and lots of other yard art! (Pinterest is particularly dangerous helpful if you’re trying to come up with home and landscaping ideas…)

One thing we don’t have to worry about is building a deck. One of the selling points on our house was the large deck that wraps around the side.

Our little guy on the deck, heading off to school (daycare) for the first time!

We couldn’t wait to move in so we could sit on our comfy deck chairs and look at this view over our wine glasses.

The only problem with the deck is that it is made of wood, and it does require some maintenance. It also requires some tweezers. Removing a splinter for the bottom of a toddler’s foot is NOT something I ever want to attempt again. But wood is natural, right? So I should like it, right? I’m not sure. I find myself wondering about that composite stuff. You know, the stuff that looks like wood but is made with recycled plastic. It has a little more “give” than wood, and composite decks require less maintenance, but they’re still plastic. Making the best choice for the environment is a top priority, so I plan to do a little more digging into the subject before we decide what to use on future projects. Do you have any thoughts on it? (I kind of feel like I’m doing that whole “cloth vs. disposable” research again! 😆 )

Or we could buy composite fencing and build a cute fence around our new vegetable garden…or maybe even the start the duck house we’re planning! Oh, we’re going to be busy… But at least we have some really good help this year!

The land there is Gorgeous! I wish I had a yard like that! I can see your concern about the wood vs composite. I have a wood deck.. and The splinters can be a little more then lil feet should have to handle.

We went with the composite when we added a small deck three years ago. We are running into trouble with it now. We have black spots that keep coming back no matter how often I clean it. My parents are having the same problem with theirs. I’m not sure if this is a wide-spread problem, but it’s been annoying for us.

I’d go with composite. The less maintenance is a great idea. Plus, they’d be cutting trees for a wood deck. Less maintenance means less products/water being used to keep it up. =) And no splinters is a great idea!!